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Picks by PWTorch VIP member Jake Belcher...
 
1. Brian Danielson: The best I have ever seen, the fact that TNA and WWE are not using him shows just how far their heads are up their behinds.

2.Edge: Engaging, believable, just perfection as a heel.

3.Awesome Kong: You think Goldberg's win streak was long? I would not have her lose for 10 years, and almost every watch she is in would be a two minute squash.

4. El Generico- Never has he disappointed me in a match. Fantastically crisp Highspots, takes vicious damage, kids love him. Whats not to love?

5. Sid: I believe he still has 1 dominant run in him. Gotta take a flyer on hitting big with my start up promotion, and he scares children which amuses me.

6. Go Shiozaki: Phenomenal talent, Gotta have an international name or 2 in for balance.

7. Nigel Mcguiness: Like Edge he totally gets his character, you want to see him lose so badly, and you'll pay again next month to see him

8. Jericho: The way he is working right now it would be criminal not to use him.

9. Teddy Hart: What did Bischoff say about controversy creating cash?

10. Scotty Goldman- Gotta have some laughs and Colt Cabanna is funnier than Santino Marella.

Picks by Chris Evans of New Canaan, Conn.
 
1. Mick Foley: The guy can work, plain and simple. He's just selfless when it comes to putting over the young, top talent in the company. He can still work stiff, brawl-style matches, and get the big pops.
 
2. A.J. Styles: Just a must-have. The guy is super talented. He's a dynamic performer that you never get bored watching. He's become very good and convincing on the stick, as well.
 
3. Chris Jericho: His work with Shawn Michaels over the past several months has been a joy to watch. This installment of Y2J feels different and special. We know he can deliver on the promos, and we know he can deliver in the ring. Just a great wrestler to feature.
 
4. Roderick Strong: I just love his work. The guy is a no-nonsense type of athlete that never really got a fair go in TNA. Put this guy over as the consumate professional who just enjoys dissecting wrestlers inside of the ring.
 
5. Abyss: You need a big man. And I think Abyss is the perfect choice. His latest outing in TNA isn't too exceptional, but the guy is so versatile, that we can work with big and small guys alike and make the matches exciting. Look at his matches with Sabu, or Jeff Hardy, or AJ Styles.
 
6. Homicide: So much can be done with this guy. Amazing to watch in the ring - he's got the toughness that is really characterized by a nice blend between Stone Cold Steve Austin and New Jack. Great on the mic. Great in the ring.
 
7. Jamie Noble: Here's a guy who is terribly underrated. I watched him in Ring of Honor and his matches with C.M. Punk always delivered.
 
8. Raven: I saw this on somebody's else list - and I just think his character is so strong and his delivery in the ring (albeit dwindling) is still a good attraction.
 
9. C.M. Punk: Once again, a guy in Ring of Honor who delivered on a consistent basis.
 
10. Rob Van Dam: Just so good. The guy can put on exhibitions, despite what WWE allowed him to do.

Picks by PWTorch.com reader Jeffrey Jimenez...

The hardest obastacle of this challenge is overcoming one's biases and preferences to be able to come to solid financial and economic conclusions. With that in mind, notice that my choices are influenced by demographic appeal, youth, and longevity.

1. John Cena: as much as I personally despise the John Cena character, I cannot deny his large popularity among key demographics: women and kids. The fact that he is also visible in the mainstream through his crossover attempts into Hollywood, make him a good ambassador and "mascot" for the start up promotion. His ability to sell merchandise is also a big plus. Albeit this may be an admission I prefer not to make, but John Cena is probably the only active wrestler today with any mainstream relevance.

2. LAX (2 picks = Homicide + Hernandez): for a business to be successful, you have to appeal to the broadest audience. Knowing that the Latino population is one of the most dedicated wrestling fanbases, you have to take arguably the most talented and up and coming Latino stars in the industry. They would be the centerpiece of a tag team division. They usurp Rey Mysterio as the Latino figure because Rey doesn't have very much time left in this business considering his injury issues.

3. Chris Jericho: He's definitely shown that he can be a great heel. History has shown that your faces only go so far as the heels will take them. Given his time off from the business, he has preserved himself for longer career prospects. My favorite part about Jericho is that he appeals to hardcore fans, women, Canadians, and kids. He has a trademark style of wrestling and can put on 5 star matches.

4. Randy Orton: Despite his backstage behavioral issues, I think in this case his benefits greatly outweigh his liabilities. He's young, has a great look, appeals to women, and can play the role of heel really well. As the youngest champ in WWE history he has the potential to have many more years ahead of him.

5. The Undertaker: His matches have been great and he's an anomaly in the wrestling business as he's getting better as he's getting closer to the twilight of his career. The WWE has shown that if you limit and manage his in-ring appearances, he can be a valuable asset for a long time despite his age. He has 5 star matches, he has the best entrance in the business, and he has the one thing that many wrestlers have yet to achieve – RESPECT.

6. Beth Phoenix: TNA has shown that if you book them correctly and use women that can actually wrestle and not just look pretty, people will tune in. The TNA women's division is often the highest rated segment of their program. With this said, I'm taking a female powerhouse who gives credibility to a Women's Title and would be the centerpiece of a female division.

7. Big Show: At the end of the day, wrestling is essentially a 1 ring circus. The only way you get people to come out to the circus is if you got great attractions. Big Show is arguably still the "biggest" attraction around as the biggest athlete today. Another guy that despite his age, has preserved his career by taking a leave from wrestling.

8. Teddy Long: The modern day wrestling promotion is heavily driven by a strong GM presence. His character over the years has been portrayed as a credible and fair promoter who listens to the fans. He's not out of touch with his generation as he's never afraid to set it straight, playa. He's never overshadowed the talent, which can't be said for the majority of the GMs out there.

9. Jay Lethal: This was a tough one, as I wanted my last pick to be the youngest wrestler with the most upside. I didn't go with Kofi despite the international flavor he adds because I'm not convinced he has a long term future based on his current in-ring progress and his limited experience on the mic. If Kofi improves, I'm sure he'll be atop many people's lists in the future. I wanted to go Evan Bourne here because his shooting star press is probably the best I've seen and it is a big attraction, but his character is a little too vanilla to warrant a top 10 pick. I had to go with Jay because he's young, undeniably talented in the ring, and has shown he can take an angle and run with it. I can't blame Jay if TNA doesn't know how to properly run an angle.

DRAFT INFO - INVITE TO PARTICIPATE

Since 1997, Pro Wrestling Torch has conducted "Priority Fantasy Drafts" about once a year, usually around this time of year. The concept is simple. If the existing national promotions went out of business and all wrestlers became free agents, and you had the budget to sign ten wrestlers before any other competing start-up company could even compete, which ten currently active wrestlers would you choose? The goal is to make money, not make you in particular happy as a fan or viewer. This is about the wisest business move. This should not be a roster for a vanity promotion that goes out of business or unnecessarily burns through money.

You can build your roster around whatever promoting philosophy you think would draw, though. If you think wrestlers only over 6-8 would draw best, draft them. If you think cruiserweights is the best approach, choose them. Or women. Young. Old. A mix of all of the above. It's up to you.

We invite you to send in your Top 10 Draft Picks this week. We will compile the results, which will be featured on PWTorch.com next week. An expanded list of vote-getters (Top 50) will be part of next week's special Draft Edition of the Pro Wrestling Torch newsletter (#1042), which will also feature a variety of staff articles related to the draft. This week at PWTorch.com we will also look back on previous draft results, so stay tuned.

When you send your top ten draft picks to us, you are invited to include a few sentences explaining each pick, making your case for why they deserve a top ten spot. Please send your picks numbered one through ten to pwtorch@gmail.com (put "Draft Picks" in the subject line, please). Deadline is this Friday (Aug. 29). We will publish select top ten lists this week in the Torch Feedback section of PWTorch.com.

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